A pilotless Volocopter takes
flight in Dubai and (below)
Waymo's self-driving car.
(MAP PATTERN) CHOKKICX/GETTY IMAGES
HAIL GEORGE JETSON
Send in the drones: The flying
cars futurists promised us are
revving up in the United Arab
Emirates. In September, Dubai
began tests of its Autonomous
Air Taxi with a maiden flight of
18-propeller, pilotless aircraft
from Volocopter, the latest step
in the country's goal of launching an app-hailed flying-taxi
service within the next five
years. Flying ride shares aren't
just pie-in-the-sky ambition
from the destination that introduced us to artificial-island resorts and indoor ski slopes: Uber
is developing air-control software with NASA and is looking
to launch zero-emission, piloted
taxis cruising up to 200 mph in
the skies of Dallas, Dubai, and
Los Angeles by 2020. Airbus,
Boeing, and a handful of other
manufacturers are developing
autonomous and piloted craft
for similar services.
NIGHT RIDERS
"KITT, pick me up on Mill Avenue," isn't a far-fetched call for barhoppers in Phoenix, who may soon ride home in Waymo's self-driving
cars. Google's parent company, Alphabet, has hit the airwaves and
billboards around the area to introduce its new driverless ride-share
service. After racking up more than 3 million test miles, the company
launched its early rider program, a trial period in which residents used
the service - with an employee on board to take control if need be - for
school drop-offs, errands, date nights, and general commuting free of
charge. In November, the company proclaimed success and removed
the backup drivers. A public rollout is expected imminently.
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